The Penn's Grove record., 1887-03-26
HOW IT HAPPENED.
.reak. creak. went the rigging.

@~N ~
Whirr-r-r, went the wind through it
Tearing and straining at the cording,
and tossing the great steamer about as
if 1t were a toy, the wind caught at the
masts and made them groan and culver,
then, in sheer ~wantonness, gathered up
a mighty wave and sent it tearing, a
white sheet of foam, clear across the
deck. And the passengers, most OF
them who were huddled together in the
cabin, shivered and exchanged glances
of commiseration, not devoid, in some
cases, of very human fear.
Whirr-r-r,..w went the wind; and caught
on its way, a jaunty, red-knitted cap,
twirled 1t aloft in derision, then left it
bobbing desolately about at the mercy
of the waters, and prepared to give at
tention to further DISAGREEMENT of the
wavy, dark head leaning over the, bull
warks. There was a dlsmayed cry, and
two hands gasped wildly at the empty
| air, returning to hold to the small,
shapely head, lest it should follow.
"'That's a pity. 1t was such a pretty
hatl" said a masculine voice.
Eyes, wasn't itP" in dolorous, wind
tossed quaver.
Then they looked at each other a
moment in silence, and then laughed,
softly, heartily, with youths gladness.
He spoke first, quickly and positively:
Forgive me for speaking to you,
but it was sIch a chance. I've wanted
to know you all along. My name Is
Neil Blake, and l live in Boston. May
l talk to your Do you mind?"
"My name is Eugene Grant, and l
live In Buffalo. 1 think / do not mind"
And they leaned together, clinging
to the bulwarks, aud watched the bob
b1ng red cap till it was lost to view;
then she pulled her waterproof hood
over her curls, and they sat down i'll
the shelter of the w~heelhouse, and
talked together In youthful earnest
ness.
Four days out from Liverpool. For
four days he had been a victim to the
charms of the young woman who then
sat composedly In dripping waterproof
beside him. He had seen her as she
came on board, holding her gray skirts
daintily about her, while her l~ace-edged
~petticoats peeped from beneath. He
thought he had seen a prettier
figure than that outlined by the gray
suit, nor softer, lovelier eyes than the
ones that glanced at him. and looked
away-to glance again. He had wanted
| SO much to know her, but she had
seemed shy; true, she had peeped at
| him from behind the floral tower in tie
centre of the table; she had looked at
him and laughed when, the first rough
day, he supported his next neighbor in
gasping misery from the table, but he
had found no chance to speak to her.
She had become prettler upon close
inspection than he had at first thought,
and most dlstractingly SO in the Inflated
| red cap, from under which her eyes
had shone like twin, laughing stars.
So, you may be very sure that he
made the most of the episode of the
cap, and. leaning on one elbow, talked
to her most earnestly and c~onfdentially;
he should give her no chance TO escape
mot, indeed, that she showed any in
clInation to desert her damp rope coil
| for the gorgeous upholstery Of the salon
She seemed very contented, crossing
her small feet in their rubber boots,
and settling herself comfortably.
1t did not take them long to grow
confidential, and before they went into
dinner she had the pleasing assurance
that he was the only child or a father
who dealt in railroads-well, perhaps
not "dealt" but something as sweeping
and enviable, Eugene was sure. And
he found out that she was a Vassar
girl, that she really was near-sighted,
though you would never believe it, and
that ''mamman was always desperately
sick on the water. 1t is doubtful if
the last fact produced the regret it
naturally should, and, as the days went
by, it seemed 10 him a positive blessing
that mamma" was safely slowed away
in invisibillty.
Perhaps it was just as well, for other
| wise, they might not have enjoyed the
lovely moonlight nights that followed
the stormy day; those nights when to
think Of sleep was sacrilege; when the
whole world seemed flooded with moon
beams, soft, yellow moonbeams, when
the stately ship glided ON. leaving be-
hind a path of shining silver, of ripples
that bllnked and bllnked in an ever
widening road that led straight into
heaven. Eugene said straight to the
shining stars at the distant horizon.
I'm obh No6CthNf hiS1s OAeN AA6hN
in the dangerous moonbeams, and spoke
to each other softly, and made of trivial
things a low-voiced mystery, and her
dark eyes dropped before the near,
eager gaze of his brown ones. OIL it
was very well that mamma was quite
an invalid They talked of the red
cap that had led to their acquaintance,
but he said she looked more lovely with
that soft, white affair about her head,
and she was very glad he thought her
lovely, and foolishly told him SO. After
that, perhaps. it was not strange that
he talked to "'Genie," and maybe, it
wal possible that once or twice his
hand happened TO lie on hers and
neither of them seemed to know.
1t had grswn to be quite a serious
thing for both by the time New York
harbor was an immediate possibility;
and the last night out, as they parted
in their sheltered sorner, he held fast
both her hands, and the two Swallowed
| heads on the deck melted into one-at
Al.nA - sha ..e, ~ ~ laAlya1 a~1